Electrical connector assembly and timing light embodying same

ABSTRACT

An electrical connector assembly for engine timing lights and other uses. The connector assembly embodies releasable electrical plug and socket coupling means which may be separated only by lateral movement of each coupling plug relative to its receiving socket, and a retainer sleeve surrounding the coupling means in such a way as to prevent such relative lateral separation movement and, thereby, separation of the coupling means. The disclosed embodiment of the invention is an engine timing light which utilizes the connector assembly to attach the leads of the timing light to the terminals of the timing lamp.

United States Patent Schwartz 1 June 6, 1972 [54] ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ASSEIVIBLY AND TIMING LIGHT EIVIBODYING SAME [72] Inventor: Edwin L. Schwartz, Los Angeles, Calif.

[73] Assignee: Rite Autotronics Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif.

[22] Filed: Jan. 6, 1969 [21] Appl.No.: 789,337

[52] US. Cl ..339/75 R, 339/176 R, 339/217 R,

240/1 1.4 [51] Int. Cl ..1-101r 13/54 [58] FieldofSearch ..339/59,6l, 103, 176 R, 176 L,

339/176 M, 176 P, 176 S, 201, 206, 207, 213, 217 R,2l7 5,217 PS,217TP, 75; 174/138 F, 74A

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,835,109 12/1931 Ayres ..339/l84 2,978,533 4/1961 Colbert ..174/93 Rueger ..340/38l 11/1918 Eden ..287/l04 UX FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 248,323 l/1948 Switzerland ..339/ l 76 Primary ExaminerMarvin A. Champion Assistant Examiner-Lawrence J. Staab AttorneyRobert E. Geauque 5 7] ABSTRACT 6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY AND TIMING LIGHT EMBODYING SAME BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1 Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to electrical devices and more particularly to a novel electrical connector assembly for engine timing lights and other uses.

2 Prior Art As will appear from the ensuing description, the present connector assembly may be employed for various uses in the electrical field. However, the invention is primarily concerned with and will be disclosed in relation to the attachment of electrical leads to an engine timing light.

One engine timing light which is presently available on the market and is favored with relatively widespread commercial acceptance has a housing containing a timing lamp, such as a neon flash tube, and a front lens for focusing light from the lamp into a beam. The lamp is energized through a pair of electrical leads which enter through the rear of the lamp housing. These leads are connected to the lamp terminals by plug and socket coupling means including plugs on the ends of the leads and sockets in the lamp housing for receiving the plugs. In use of the timing light, the leads are connected to the timing circuit of an engine in the well-known manner so that the timing lamp is periodically energized in timed relation to crank shaft rotation. The timing light thus produces an intermittent light beam which may be utilized to check and correct the timing of the engine.

The existing timing light suffers from the disadvantage that the plug and socket coupling means between the leads and the timing lamp terminals are axially separable in the longitudinal direction of the lamp housing. The leads must therefore be secured to the housing in a way which prevents separation of the coupling means under the action of a pulling or tension force on the leads. In the existing timing light, separation of the coupling means is prevented in a manner which also renders it very difficult to assemble the coupling means.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an improved electrical connector assembly which may be used to advantage in timing lights of the character described. The present connector assembly, when so employed, avoids the above noted and other disadvantages of the existing timing lights. In general terms, the present connector assembly is characterized by a plug and socket coupling means which may be separated only by relative lateral movement of each plug relative to its receiving socket. The connector assembly is equipped with a long sleeve which surrounds the coupling means, when assembled, to prevent such relative lateral separation movement and, thereby, separation ofthe coupling means.

In the disclosed embodiment of the invention, which is an engine timing light, the laterally disengageable coupling means has a pair of sockets integral with and projecting rearwardly from the rear wall of the timing lamp housing. The lock sleeve of the connector assembly is a rear extension of the lamp housing which encircles the coupling sockets on the housing. The leads for the timing light extend loosely through openings in the rear end of the sleeve extension. Accordingly, when attaching the leads to and disconnecting the leads from the timing light, the sleeve extension may be moved rearwardly along the leads away from the lamp housing to expose the plug and socket coupling means. This facilitates separation of the coupling plugs from the coupling sockets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through an engine timing light embodying an improved electrical connector assembly according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front end view of the timing light in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlargement of the area encircled by the arrow 4-4 in FIG. 3 illustrating, in broken lines, the relative lateral separation movement of a coupling plug relative to its receiving socket;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged section taken on line 5-5 in FIG. I; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged section taken on line 6-6 in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning now to these drawings, there is illustrated an engine timing light 10 embodying an electrical connector assembly 12 according to the invention. In general terms, this connector assembly comprises an electrical coupling means 14 including at least one socket 16 and an electrical lead 18 having a plug 20 positioned within and removable from the socket. As shown in FIG. 4, the plug 20 is removable from the socket 16 only by lateral movement of the plug and its lead 18 relative to the socket. In addition to the coupling means 14, the present electrical connector assembly 12 includes a lock sleeve 22. This lock sleeve is secured to and surrounds the coupling socket 16 in manner which prevents relative lateral separation movement of the coupling plug 20 relative to the socket. Accordingly, the sleeve 22 effectively locks the coupling means 14 against separation.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 4, it will be observed that the socket 16 has an opening 24 which extends laterally through one side and longitudinally through one end of the socket. As a consequence, the opening has a lateral portion with a longitudinally presented boundary edge 26 and a longitudinaI portion with a laterally presented boundary edge 28. In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated, the opening 24 is at the rear end of the socket 16. Accordingly, the boundary edges 26 and 28 are hereinafter referred to as front and rear boundary edges. Integrally formed within the socket 16 adjacent the front boundary edge 26 is a locking shoulder 30. This locking shoulder is spaced a small distance forwardly of the boundary edge so as to define therebetween a narrow locking lip or flange 32. Adjacent the rear boundary edge 28 of the socket opening 24 is a locking shoulder 34. It will be observed that the locking shoulders 30 and 34 are located at diametrically opposite sides of the socket 16.

As shown in FIG. 4, the coupling means 14 is assembled by positioning the coupling plug 20 and its lead 18 at an angle relative to the axis of the socket 16. The plug is then inserted axially into the socket through the socket opening 24 to the broken line position of FIG. 4, wherein the leading end of the plug engages behind the locking flange 32 and seats against the locking shoulder 30 of the socket. The plug and lead are now rotated to their full line position of FIG. 4 to engage the rear end of the plug under the locking shoulder 34 on the socket 16. In this assembled position of the coupling means 14, the plug 20 engages a conductor 36 within the socket to complete an electrical circuit between the conductor and the lead 18. Separation of the coupling means 14 is accomplished by reversing the above assembly procedure. It will now be understood, therefore, that separation of the coupling means 14 can be accomplished only by lateral movement of the coupling plug 20 and its lead 18 relative to the coupling socket 16. As already noted, and illustrated in the drawings, the lock sleeve 22 prevents such lateral disengaging movement of the plug relative to the socket and, thereby, separation of the coupling means 14.

As noted earlier and illustrated in the drawings, the embodiment of the invention which has been selected for illustration is an engine timing light 10. This timing light has a forward cylindrical lamp housing 38. The front end of this lamp housing is open and contains a lens 40. The rear end of the lamp housing is externally reduced in diameter at 42 and is closed by a rear end wall 44. In the disclosed embodiment of the invention, the coupling means 14 of the present electrical connector assembly 12 has a pair of coupling sockets 16. These coupling sockets are formed integrally with and extend rearwardly from the rear wall 44 of the lamp housing 38. As shown best in FIG. 5, the two sockets are located equal distances to opposite sides of a plane containing the central axis of the lamp housing. Integral with and projecting rearwardly from the rear housing wall 44 in this plane is an electrical insulating tongue 48. In this regard, it will be observed that the lamp housing 38, including the coupling sockets 16 and insulating tongue 48, may be conveniently injection molded in one piece from plastic. The openings 24 in the coupling sockets 16 face outwardly away from the intervening insulating tongue 48 to permit insertion of the coupling plugs into and removal of these plugs from the sockets, in the manner explained earlier.

Contained within the lamp housing 38 is a timing lamp 50, such as a neon flash tube. This flash tube has terminals which were previously designated as the socket conductors 36. Lamp terminals 36 extend through the open front ends of the sockets 16, between the inner walls of the sockets and the coupling plugs 20, and rearwardly through the open ends of the sockets. As shown best in FIG. 4, the rear extremities of the lamp terminals 36 are bent inwardly to aid in retaining the lamp in position in the lamp housing when the coupling plugs 20 are removed from the sockets 16. The insulating tongue 48 prevents inadvertent contact of these inwardly bent ends of the lamp terminals.

In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated, the lock sleeve 22 of the electrical connector assembly 12 provides a rear extension of the lamp housing 38. To this end, the front end of the sleeve is dimensioned to slide over the rear reduced extremity 42 of the lamp housing, as shown. The sleeve may be secured to the lamp housing in any convenient way. The rear extremity of the long sleeve or extension sleeve 22 tapers at a slight angle to a smaller diameter. Opening through the rear end of the sleeve are bores 52 which loosely receive the leads 18. It will be understood, therefore, that the sleeve 22 may be moved longitudinally of the leads.

When attaching the leads 18 to the timing light 10, the sleeve 22 is moved rearwardly along the leads to expose their coupling plugs 20. These plugs are then inserted into the sockets 16 in the manner explained earlier. After installation of the plugs in the sockets, the sleeve 22 is moved forwardly along the leads l8 and over the rear end of the lamp housing 38 to the final position of assembly illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3. In this position, the sleeve surrounds the sockets 16 in such a way as to prevent the lateral separation movement or rotation of the coupling plugs 20 relative to their respective receiving sockets 16. It is now evident, therefore, that the present connector assembly 12 is uniquely constructed and arranged to prevent inadvertent separation of the leads 18 from the lamp housing 38 when the sleeve 22 occupies its final position of assembly on the lamp housing. On the other hand, the leads may be easily connected to and detached from the lamp housing by sliding the sleeve rearwardly along the leads to expose the coupling means 14.

Accordingly, while the invention has herein been shown and described in what is conceived to be its most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices.

What is claimed as new in support of Letters Patent is:

1. An electrical connector assembly comprising:

an electrical coupling means including a socket and an electrical lead having a plug insertable into and removable from said socket only by lateral movement of said plug relative to said socket, said socket having an inlet opening therein and a back end, said plug fulcruming adjacent said back end during removal and insertion of said plug within said socket, and

a lock sleeve secured to and surrounding said coupling socket in such a way as to prevent a relative lateral disengaging movement of said plug with respect to said socket, thereby to prevent disengagement of said plug and socket, said lock sleeve being spaced from said socket.

2. An electrical connector assembly comprising:

an electrical coupling means including a socket and an electrical lead having a plug insertable into and removable from said socket only by lateral movement of said plug relative to said socket,

a lock sleeve secured to and surrounding said coupling socket in such a way as to prevent relative lateral disengaging movement of said plug with respect to said socket, thereby to prevent disengagement of said plug and socket;

said socket has an opening extending laterally through the side and longitudinally through one end of said socket, whereby said opening has a lateral portion with a longitudinally facing boundary edge and a longitudinal portion with a laterally facing boundary edge diametrically opposite said longitudinally facing boundary edge. inwardly projecting locking shoulders adjacent said boundary edges, respectively, having confronting shoulder faces, and the locking shoulder adjacent said longitudinally facing boundary edge being spaced from the latter edge to define a narrow lip between the latter shoulder and said lateral opening portion,

said plug is insertable into said socket by initial axial movement of said plug through said socket opening along a direction line inclined to the socket axis and to an initial position wherein the front end of said plug engages behind said lip and seats against the adjacent locking shoulder, and final lateral rotation of said plug about said latter shoulder to a final position of assembly wherein the rear end of said plug engages under the other locking shoulder,

said plug is removable from said socket by initial lateral rotation of said plug to disengage the rear end of said plug from its engaging socket shoulder and final axial withdrawal of said plug from said socket through socket opening, and

said sleeve extends over said lateral portion of said socket opening to prevent lateral disengaging rotation of said plug relative to said socket.

3. An electrical connector assembly comprising:

an electrical coupling means including a pair of coupling sockets disposed in generally parallel side by side rela tion, and a pair of electrical leads having plugs insertable into and removable from said sockets, respectively, only by lateral movement of each plug relative to its respective socket, each of said sockets having an inlet opening therein and a back end, said plug fulcruming adjacent said back end during removal and insertion of said plug within its respective socket, and

a sleeve secured to and surrounding said sockets in such a way as to prevent lateral disengaging movement of said plugs relative to their respective sockets, thereby to prevent disengagement of said coupling means, said lock sleeve being spaced from said socket.

4. An electrical connector assembly comprising:

an electrical means including a pair of coupling sockets disposed in generally parallel side by side relation, and a pair of electrical leads having plugs insertable into and removable from said sockets, respectively, only by lateral movement of each plug relative to its respective socket,

a sleeve secured to and surrounding said sockets in such a way as to prevent lateral disengaging movement of said plugs relative to their respective sockets, thereby to prevent disengagement of said coupling means;

each said socket has an opening extending laterally through one side and longitudinally through one end of its respective socket, whereby each socket opening has a lateral portion with a longitudinally facing boundary edge and a longitudinal portion with a laterally facing boundary edge located diametrically opposite said longitudinally facing boundary edge, a pair of internal locking shoulders adjacent said boundary edges, respectively, and having confronting shoulder faces, and the locking shoulder adjacent said longitudinally facing boundary edge being spaced from the latter edge to define an intervening locking lip,

each said plug is insertable into its respective socket only by initial axial movement of the corresponding plug through its respective socket opening along a direction line inclined to the socket axis and to an initial position wherein the front end of the plug engages behind the corresponding socket lip and seats against the adjacent socket shoulder, and final lateral rotation of the plug about the latter shoulder to a final position of assembly wherein the rear end of the plug engages under the other socket shoulder,

each said plug is removable from its respective socket by initial lateral rotation of the plug to disengage its rear end from the engaging socket shoulder, and final axial withdrawal of the plug from the socket, and

said sleeve surrounds said sockets in such a way as to extend over said lateral socket opening portions to prevent lateral disengaging rotation of said plugs relative to said sockets.

5. An electrical connector assembly according to claim 4 wherein:

said assembly further includes a tubular housing having a rear wall,

said sockets are joined to and extend rearwardly from said rear wall,

said lock sleeve is secured to the rear end of said housing in surrounding relation to said sockets, and

said leads extend loosely through openings in the rear end of said sleeve.

6 A connector assembly according to claim 5 wherein:

said housing has a front end opening containing a lens,

a lamp within said housing, and

said lamp has terminals disposed in electrical contact with said plugs. 

1. An electrical connector assembly comprising: an electrical coupling means including a socket and an electrical lead having a plug insertable into and removable from said socket only by lateral movement of said plug relative to said socket, said socket having an inlet opening therein and a back end, said plug fulcruming adjacent said back end during removal and insertion of said plug within said socket, and a lock sleeve secured to and surrounding said coupling socket in such a way as to prevent a relative lateral disengaging movement of said plug with respect to said socket, thereby to prevent disengagement of said plug and socket, said lock sleeve being spaced from said socket.
 2. An electrical connector assembly comprising: an electrical coupling means including a socket and an electrical lead having a plug insertable into and removable from said socket only by lateral movement of said plug relative to said socket, a lock sleeve secured to and surrounding said coupling socket in such a way as to prevent relative lateral disengaging movement of said plug with respect to said socket, thereby to prevent disengagement of said plug and socket; said socket has an opening extending laterally through the side and longitudinally through one end of said socket, whereby said opening has a lateral portion with a longitudinally facing boundary edge and a longitudinal portion with a laterally facing boundary edge diametrically opposite said longitudinally facing boundary edge, inwardly projecting locking shoulders adjacent said boundary edges, respectively, having confronting shoulder faces, and the locking shoulder adjacent said longitudinally facing boundary edge being spaced from the latter edge to define a narrow lip between the latter shoulder and said lateral opening portion, said plug is insertable into said socket by initial axial movement of said plug through said socket opening along a direction line inclined to the socket axis and to an initial position wherein the front end of said plug engages behind said lip and seats against the adjacent locking shoulder, and final lateral rotation of said plug about said latter shoulder to a final position of assembly wherein the rear end of said plug engages under the other locking shoulder, said plug is removable from said socket by initial lateral rotation of said plug to disengage the rear end of said plug from its engaging socket shoulder and final axial withdrawal of said plug from said socket through socket opening, and said sleeve extends over said lateral portion of said socket opening to prevent lateral disengaging rotation of said plug relative to said socket.
 3. An electrical connector assembly comprising: an electrical coupling means including a pair of coupling sockets disposed in generally parallel side by side relation, and a pair of electrical leads having plugs insertable into and removable from said sockets, respectively, only by lateral movement of each plug relative to its respective socket, each of said sockets having an inlet opening therein and a back end, Said plug fulcruming adjacent said back end during removal and insertion of said plug within its respective socket, and a sleeve secured to and surrounding said sockets in such a way as to prevent lateral disengaging movement of said plugs relative to their respective sockets, thereby to prevent disengagement of said coupling means, said lock sleeve being spaced from said socket.
 4. An electrical connector assembly comprising: an electrical means including a pair of coupling sockets disposed in generally parallel side by side relation, and a pair of electrical leads having plugs insertable into and removable from said sockets, respectively, only by lateral movement of each plug relative to its respective socket, a sleeve secured to and surrounding said sockets in such a way as to prevent lateral disengaging movement of said plugs relative to their respective sockets, thereby to prevent disengagement of said coupling means; each said socket has an opening extending laterally through one side and longitudinally through one end of its respective socket, whereby each socket opening has a lateral portion with a longitudinally facing boundary edge and a longitudinal portion with a laterally facing boundary edge located diametrically opposite said longitudinally facing boundary edge, a pair of internal locking shoulders adjacent said boundary edges, respectively, and having confronting shoulder faces, and the locking shoulder adjacent said longitudinally facing boundary edge being spaced from the latter edge to define an intervening locking lip, each said plug is insertable into its respective socket only by initial axial movement of the corresponding plug through its respective socket opening along a direction line inclined to the socket axis and to an initial position wherein the front end of the plug engages behind the corresponding socket lip and seats against the adjacent socket shoulder, and final lateral rotation of the plug about the latter shoulder to a final position of assembly wherein the rear end of the plug engages under the other socket shoulder, each said plug is removable from its respective socket by initial lateral rotation of the plug to disengage its rear end from the engaging socket shoulder, and final axial withdrawal of the plug from the socket, and said sleeve surrounds said sockets in such a way as to extend over said lateral socket opening portions to prevent lateral disengaging rotation of said plugs relative to said sockets.
 5. An electrical connector assembly according to claim 4 wherein: said assembly further includes a tubular housing having a rear wall, said sockets are joined to and extend rearwardly from said rear wall, said lock sleeve is secured to the rear end of said housing in surrounding relation to said sockets, and said leads extend loosely through openings in the rear end of said sleeve.
 6. A connector assembly according to claim 5 wherein: said housing has a front end opening containing a lens, a lamp within said housing, and said lamp has terminals disposed in electrical contact with said plugs. 